It’s about Medea, the woman who killed her children. That says it all, doesn’t it? Perhaps not.

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Fall Prettier deconstructs and twists archetypal narratives about women, through the lens of the Medea myth. Featuring glitter, movement, cruel yet catchy a cappella jingles, pregnant barbie dolls and ketchup. And, bubbling under the surface, the resilience and power of women resisting their prescribed storylines in solidarity.

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An early microplay version of Fall Prettier was selected by Pennyworth Productions to perform as part of a new writing showcase at the Arcola Theatre in May 2018. The play, then Working Title Medea, was written for Wet Paint, a duo collaboration with Afro-German theatre maker and performer Zandile Darko. Following successful scratch performances at the Arcola and in Summerhall at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018 (where it was selected for a week-long run as part of the curated Bruford @ Upper Church programme), the play saw an acclaimed week of performances at The Space in June 2019.

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The original production featured an entirely international cast, and was co-directed by Zandile and Therese who performed the roles of Medea and Glauce respectively. In addition to writing the script, Therese composed the music for Fall Prettier - and colleagues, friends and acquaintances still frequently sing the Medea, Killer of Babies jingle back to her...

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Read Therese’s My Theatre Mates interview about the project here.

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Reviews

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“What. A. Ride. [...] Ramstedt brings together so many intimate moments of reveal, and is absolutely someone the theatre world should be looking out for. [...] Bold, innovative and totally ruthless in its mission to tell its story, Fall Prettier is definitely a show you can watch multiple times, taking something different with each viewing.”
★★★★ Within Her Words

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“...a compelling piece that fuses comedy with the dark and primal story, drawing a jarring comparison between the modern world and its mythical counterpart. [...] Through delicate a cappella songs, physical comedy, and lots and lots of glitter, Fall Prettier shows how essential it is to look beyond the picture that's being forcefully fed to the public and get to the centre of the issue. It breaks down stereotypes and shatters the preconceived notions that confine Medea to being a murderous mother and Glauce to the trope of the ‘other woman'.”
★★★★ Broadway World UK